Strap sealing tool



April 1953 J. M. THORNBERY Er AL 2,832,243

STRAP SEALING TOOL 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 16, 1955 mm mm INVENTORJAMES M. THORNBERV R/CHARD N. MODJESK/ ATTORNEYS April 1958 J. M.THORNBERY AL 2,832,243

STRAP SEALING TOOL Filed Feb. 16, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 VI 1 m m M55 5 7NJ M R0 0 M00 w WWM A .N vr M 5% M AK JR V BM km April 29, 1958 J. M.THORNBERY ET AL 2,832,243

STRAPSEALING TOOL R/CHARD MODJESK/ ATTORNEYS United States Patent2,832,243 STRAP SEALING TOOL James M. Thornbery, Morton Grove, andRichard N.

Modjeski, Chicago, 111., assignors to Acme Steel Company, Chicago, 111.,a corporation of Illinois Application February 16, 1955, Serial No.488,546 11 Claims. (CI. 81-91) This invention relates to strap sealingtools adapted for use in forming joints between the overlapping ends ofmetal straps employed in binding boxes or packages and in securingtogether a plurality of boxes or packages in the loading of freight carsand other carriers. The overlapping ends of these binding straps arecommonly secured together by the use of surrounding metal seals andsealing tools are employed to deform the seals and the enclosed strapends and thereby form interlocking joints. One ditficulty which has beenencountered in the use of tools of this type is that the operatorsometimes fails to operate them to the full extent so that incomplete ordefective joints are formed.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improvedstrap sealing tool comprising means for insuring the completion of aninterlocking joint between the seal and the strap ends each time thatthe operation of the tool is initiated. A further object of theinvention is to provide a strap sealing tool comprising relativelymovable lever arms adapted to operate mechanism for deforming a seal andenclosed strap ends, in combination with means for preventing a reverserelative movement of these lever arms until a complete joint has beenformed when their relative movement to form a joint has once beenstarted. Other objects relate to various features of construction andarrangen rent which will appear more clearly hereinafter.

The nature of the invention will be understood from the followingspecification taken with the accompanying drawings in which oneembodiment isillustrated. In the drawings,

Figure 1 shows the side elevation of a strap sealing tool embodying thepresent invention;

Fig. 2 shows a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of a type of strap joint which may beformed with the use of the present invention;

Fig. 4 shows a side elevation similar to that of Fig. l with partsbroken away to illustrate the relative positions of other parts when thejaws are closed to form a strap joint;

Fig. 5 shows a view similar to that of Fig. 4 with one side plate of thetool removed, illustrating the relative positions of the parts when thejaws of the tool have been opened;

Fig. 6 shows a top plan view of the tool illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 shows a horizontal section taken along the line 7.-7 of Fig. 1showing the relative positions of the parts of the locking mechanism atthe beginning of the operation of the tool;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view similar to that of Fig. 7 showing therelative positions of the parts of the locking mechanism after the jawshave been partially separated to receive a seal and the enclosed strapends;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view similar to that of Fig. 7 showing therelative positions of the parts at a still later stage of the operation;and

Fig. 10 is a sectional view similar to those of Figs. 7, 8 and 9 showingthe relative positions of the parts of the locking mechanism at a stilllater stage of the operation.

2,832,243 Patented Apr. 29, 1958 "ice The type of joint which maybeformed by the use of the sealing tool of the present invention isillustrated in Fig. 3 where a metal strap 15 is shown having its ends15a and 15b overlapping and enclosed by a tubular metal seal 16. Theedges of the seal and the enclosed strap ends have been deformed asshown at 17 in order to cause parts of the seal and the strap to abut.against each other and thereby provide an interlocking joint. Thefeatures of the present invention have been illustrated in connectionwith the type of sealing tool which is described and claimed in thecopending application of James M. Thornbery and James N. Wognum, Serial'No. 480,244, filed January 6, 1955, but the present improvements may beembodied in other types of sealing tools in order to insure theformation of a complete joint each time that the operation of the toolis initiated. As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the inventionis embodied in a sealing tool comprising two side plates 18 and 19 whichare generally triangular in shape and which are provided with extensions18a and 1911 having secured between them a metal block 20 provided witha cylin drical aperture in which a tubular lever or handle 21 is securedby means of a transverse bolt 22 and a nut 23.

The two side plates 38 and 19 are secured together and spaced apart by ablock 24 which is fixed in position between the side plates by means ofbolts 25 having nuts 26 secured on their threaded extremities. The bolts25 and nuts 25 also serve to secure in place in contact with the sideplate 18 a locking plate 27 which is substantially triangular in shapewith flat faces 27a, 27b and 270 at its corners.

The side plates 18 and 19 have pivotally mounted be pins 29 have heads29a provided with flat faces 29b adapted to enact wth the flat cornerportions 27a and 27b of the locking plate 27 so that the pins 29 arethereby held against rotation. The bending dies 28 have bookedprojections 28a which are adapted to be extended beneath the seal andthe enclosed strap ends when they are moved toward each other afterplacing the seal and strap ends between them as illustrated in Fig. 5and the two jaws 28 of each pair are located on opposite sides of adeforming die 32, each of which is rotatably mounted upon one of thepins 29. The dies 32 are circular in form and are provided with outerannular surfaces which are transversely curved so that when the bendingdies 28 are closed upon each other from the positions shown in Fig. 5 tothe positions shown in Fig. 4, the extremities 28a of the bending jawsproject the seal and the enclosed strap ends upwardly and against theperipheral surfaces of the deforming dies 32 with the result that thelateral strap ends are projected upwardly against the block. 24

which serves as a saddle to support the seal during thedeformingoperation and which supplements the action of the edges 13c and 19c ofthe side plates which are notched upwardly on opposite sides in order toform recesses through which the strap ends and the seal are adapted toextend.

The bending dies or jaws 28 have upwardly extending arms 28!; whichserve as levers by which the dies are rocked about the pivot pins 29.The mechanism for operating the lever arms 23b comprises an operatinglever or handle 35 which lies parallel to the handle 21 when the jawsare closed as shown in Fig. 1. The lever or handle 35 fits into atubular bore formed in a yokeshaped bracket 36 where it is secured by atransverse pin 37. The yoke 36 has two transversely extending flanges36a and 36b which extend between the side plates 18 a and 19 and whichare provided with apertures which are pivotally engaged by a pin 38having a threaded extremity which is engaged by a nut 39. The pin 38 hasa head 38a provided with a flat face 38b adapted to seat against theflat corner portion 27c of the locking plate 27 so that the pin isthereby held against rotation.

The side flanges 36a and 36b of the yoke 36 are pivotally connected by apin 40 to a link ll which has its other extremity extending between twoof the bending jaw arms 28b with which it is pivotally connected by apin 42. At a point on the opposite side of the pin 38 from the pin 40,the flanges 36a and 36b of the yoke are pivotally connected by a hollowshaft 44 to a link 45 which has its outer extremity pivotally connectedwith the arms 28b of the other bending jaws by means of a pin dd. Thepin 40 and the hollow shaft 44 are located between the side plates 18and 19 and are adapted to move bodily between these plates when the toolis operated as here inafterdescribed.

In the use of the apparatus described above the handles or levers 21 and35 are first separated by moving the handle 35 upwardly to the positionshown in Fig. 5, there by separating the jaws 28 so that they may becaused to straddle the seal 16 and the enclosed strap ends 15:: and 15b.Having placed the tool in this operating position, the handle or lever35 is then moved downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 4 which causesthe jaws 28 to close upon each other and to press the seal and the enclosed strap ends against the deforming dies 32, thereby deforming theedges of these parts as shown at 17 in Fig. 3 to provide an interlockingconnection between the seal and the strap ends. The present invention isdirected to improved means by which the completion of the relativemovement of the levers 21 and 35, from the positions shown in Fig. tothe positions shown in Fig. 4, is insured so that the deformations 17are completely formed.

The means for insuring a complete operation of the sealing tool to forman interlocking joint, when the operation of the tool has once beeninitiated, comprises a locking pin 50 which has a head 50a slidablymounted in the bore of the hollow shaft 44. This hollow shaft extendscompletely through the flanges 36a and 36b of the yoke 36 and isprovided at one end with an annular flange 44a seated in a recess in theflange 36b. The other end of the hollow shaft 44 lies flush with theouter face of the flange 36a and this end of the tubular bore of thehollow shaft is provided with an inwardly extending flange 4415. A coilspring 51 is mounted within the hollow shaft 44 between the head 50a ofthepin and the flange 44b of the hollow shaft and this spring is undercompression so that it normally tends to move the pin 5i away from theside plate 18 as viewed in Fig. 7.

When the operating levers 31 and 35 are in the relative positions shownin Fig. 4, the locking pin 50 is held in the retracted position shown inFig. 7 by means of a latch member 52 which, is pivotally mounted uponthe pin 38 and which is provided with a relatively thin arcuate blade52a adapted to engage an annular groove 5% formed in the pin 50 betweenthe body portion of the pin and a projecting head 500 which is ofsmaller diameter than the head 50a and located on the opposite end ofthe pin. The latch 52 is normally moved to the pin engaging positionshown in Figs. 4 and 7 by means of a spring 53 which surrounds the pin38 and has one extremity 53a coiled about the pin 40 while the otherextremity 2-3331 thereof bears upon a flat surface 525 of the latch sothat the latch is normally urged in a counterclockwise direction asviewed in Fig. 5.

Assuming that the operating levers 21 and 35 are in the relativepositions shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the locking pin 50 is then in theposition shown in Fig. 7 with the head 50c thereof extending into anarcuate recess 18d which is formed in the inner face of the side plate18.

This recess permits the necessary movement of the locking pin 50 as thelevers 21 and 35 are separated but, at a predetermined movement in thisrelative separation, a pin 55 secured in the latch 52 engages anotherpin 56 which is secured to the side plate 18 adjacent one end of therecess 18d. In Fig. 8 the latch 52 is still in the position shown inFig. 7 when the lever 35 is at an intermediate stage of its separationfrom the lever 21 but, upon further movement of the lever 35, the pin 55en gages the pin 56 with the result that the latch 52 is disengaged fromthe groove 50b of the locking pin, against the action of the spring 51,thus releasing the pin 50 so that the spring 51 moves it to the positionshown in Fig. 9.

When in the position shown in Fig. 9, the head 50a "of the locking pinextends into another arcuate recess 19d which is formed in the innerface of the side plate 19. At this'time, the jaws 28 are separated sothat they may be caused to embrace the seal and the enclosed strap endswhich are to be deformed and the lever 35 is then moved toward the lever21 with the result that the head 56a of the locking pin rides upon theflat surface of the recess 19d until the pin snaps over a shoulder 196which is formed in this recess, whereupon the pin 50 is projectedoutwardly to a further extent and is then adapted to ride upon thecurved surface 19) of the arcuate recess in the inner face of the sideplate 19. As the pin 50 snaps over the shoulder 19s the deformation 17in the seal and strap ends are partially formed and it is thenimpossible to reverse the relative movement of the lever arms 21 and 35to separate the jaws because of the en-.

gagement of the shoulder 19a with the pin 50. Thus, the only way torelease the tool from the seal and the strap ends is to continue therelative movement of the lever 35 toward the lever 21 with the resultthat the head 50a of the locking pin rides on the curved cam surface 19of the side plate 19 until a point is reached where the jaws have beenfully closed as shown in Fig. 1 and the pin'50 has been pushed inwardlyby the cam surface 19f until it again occupies the position shown inFig. 7, whereupon the latch 52 engage the groove 50b in the locking pinand hold it in its retracted position in readiness for a new joint forming operation. In this way, successive complete joint forming operationsare insured and, at the end of one operation, the parts of the tool arein readiness for the next succeeding operation.

Although one form of the invention has been shown I and described by wayof illustration, it will be understood that it may be constructed invarious other embodiments which come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

We claim:

1. The combination in a tool adapted to form a joint between a metalseal and enclosed overlapping metal strap ends, of a pair of side platessecured together and spaced apart, a pair of relatively movable jawsmounted between said plates and each comprising a deforming die,actuating means mounted for movement parallel to said plates foractuating said jaws to cause said dies to deform the seal and said strapends, and means carried by said actuating means and located between andcoacting with saidplates for insuring a complete joint forming movementof said actuating means when such movement is once initiated.

2. The combination in a tool adapted to form a joint between a metalseal and enclosed overlapping metal strap ends, of a pair of side platessecured together and spaced apart, a pair of relatively movable jawsmounted between said plates and each comprising a deforming die, meanscomprising parts movable between said plates for actuating said jaws todeform said seal and said enclosed strap ends, and means carried by saidparts and engagerelative movement of said jaws.

is actuated by the spring 53 to assaess 3. The combination in a tooladapted to form a joint between a metal seal and enclosed overlappingmetal strap ends, of a pair of side plates secured together and spacedapart, means comprising relatively movable parts mounted between saidside plates for deforming said seal and said strap ends, means foractuating said last named means, and a controlling member movable withsaid actuating means for controlling the movement of said jaws, saidside plates having parts adapted to engage said controlling member toregulate the action thereof.

4. The combination in a tool adapted to form a joint between a metalseal and enclosed overlapping metal strap ends, of a pair of side platessecured together and spaced apart, means comprising relatively movableparts mounted between said side plates for deforming said seal and saidstrap ends, means for actuating said last named means, and a controllingmember mounted for movement with said movable parts movable transverselyof said side plates for controlling the movement of said jaws, said sideplates having parts adapted to regulate the action of said controllingmember.

5. The combination in a tool adapted to form a joint between a metalseal and enclosed metal strap ends, of relatively movable parts adaptedto deform said seal and said strap ends to form an interlocking joint,means for actuating said parts through forward and reverse relativemovements, a locking pin movable wit said last named means, and meansmounted in the path of said pin for engaging said pin during therelative movement of said parts for moving said pin endwise andcontrolling the relative movement of said parts.

6. The combination in a tool adapted to form a joint between a metalseal and enclosed metal strap ends, of relatively movable parts adaptedto deform said seal and said strap ends to form an interlocking joint,means for actuating said parts through forward and reverse relativemovements, a locking pin movable with said last named means, meansmovable with said parts for latching said pin in a retracted position,means comprising a part 1ocated in the path of movement of a part ofsaid latching means and actuated during the reverse relative movement ofsaid parts for releasing said pin, means movable with said pin for thenmoving said pin endwise to a second position, and means located inposition to engage said pin and operative after said parts have startedforward relative movements for preventing reverse relative movement ofsaid parts by engagement with said pin.

7. The combination in a tool adapted to form a joint between a metalseal and enclosed metal strap ends, of relatively movable parts adaptedto deform said seal and said strap ends to form an interlocking joint,means for actuating said parts through forward and reverse relativemovements, a locking pin movable with said last named means, meansmovable with said parts for latching said pin in a retracted position,means comprising a part located in the path of movement of a part ofsaid latching means and actuated during the reverse relative movement ofsaid parts for releasing said pin, means movable with said pin for thenmoving said pin endwise to a second position, said last named meansbeing operative after said parts have started forward relative movementsfor causing said last named means to move said pin to a third position,and located in the path of reverse movement of said pin and operativewhen said pin is in said third position for preventing reverse relativemovements of said parts.

8. The combination in a tool adapted to form a joint between a metalseal and enclosed metal strap ends, of relatively movable parts adaptedto deform said seal and said strap ends to form an interlocking joint,means for actuating said parts through forward and reverse relativemovements, a locking pin movable with said last named means, meansmovable with said parts for latching said pin in a retracted position,means comprising a part located in the path of movement of a part ofsaid latching means and actuated during the reverse relative movement ofsaid parts for releasing said pin, means movable with said pin for thenmoving said pin endwise to a second position, means engageable with saidpin and operative after said parts have started forward relativemovements for causing said last named means to move said pin to a thirdposition, means located in the path of reverse movement of said pin andoperative when said pin is in said third position for preventing reverserelative movements of said parts, and means located in the path ofmovement of said pin and operative as said parts complete their forwardrelative movements for restoring said pin to its original position.

9. The combination in a tool adapted to form a joint between a metalseal and enclosed overlapping strap ends, of a pair of side platessecured together and spaced apart, means comprising parts havingrelative movement between said side plates for deforming said seal andsaid strap ends, said parts being movable through forward and reversestrokes, a locking pin mounted on said parts for angular movement bodilybetween said side plates during said relative movements of said partsand also for endwise movement transversely to said side plates, meansmovable with said pin for normally holding said pin in a retractedposition, and means on one of said plates for actuating said holdingmeans to release said pin during the movement of said parts through saidreverse stroke.

10. The combination in a tool adapted to form a joint etween a metalseal and enclosed overlapping strap ends, of a pair of side platessecured together and spaced apart, means comprising parts havingrelative movement between said side plates for deforming said seal andsaid strap ends, said parts being movable through forward and reversestrokes, a locking pin mounted on said parts for angular movement bodilybetween said side plates during said relative movements of said partsand also for endwise movement transversely to said side plates, meansmovable with said pin for normally holding said pin in a retractedposition, means in the path of said holding means operative during therelative movement of said parts during said reverse stroke for actuatingsaid holding means to release said pin, resilient means tending to movesaid pin endwise from said retracted position, means carried by one ofsaid side plates for releasing said pin from said holding means duringsaid reverse stroke, and means carried by the other side plate forcausing further endwise movement of said pin during the forward strokeand for then preventing a reverse stroke.

11. The combination in a tool adapted to form a joint between a metalseal and enclosed overlapping strap ends, of a pair of side platessecured together and spaced apart, means comprising parts havingrelative movement between said side plates for deforming said seal andsaid strap ends, said parts being movable through forward and reversestrokes, a locking pin mounted on one of said parts for angular movementbodily between said side plates during said relative movements of saidparts and also for endwise movement, means movable with said parts andengaging said pin for normally holding said pin in a retracted position,resilient means movable with said pin and tending to move said pinendwise from said retracted position, means carried by one of said sideplates for releasing said pin from said holding means during saidreverse stroke, means carried by the other side plate for causingfurther endwise movement of said pin by said resilient means during theforward stroke and for then preventing a reverse stroke, and meanscarried by said last named side plate and operative as said parts reachthe end of said forward stroke for restoring said pin to its originalposition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS487,346 Cheesernan Dec. 6, 1892 1,984,652 Ott Dec. 18, 1934 1,996,202Harvey Apr. 2, 1935

